An exhibition kicking off Thursday in Paris tells the story of a city that has imposed itself since the tenth century as a world capital of gastronomy, with testimonies that reflect the vast experience in this field, pictures, and stories, fueled over the decades by the romantic and popular aura and freedoms enjoyed by the French capital.

This exhibition, which takes place in the former royal residence of La Conciergere in Paris, takes its visitors on a journey through the history of French cuisine from the Middle Ages to the present day.

"Paris does not have a monopoly on gastronomy in the world, as there has been strong competition going on for decades with other cities, New York, London and Tokyo, which include a number of Bigger than the Michelin-starred restaurants.

However, as shown in the exhibition titled "Paris, Capital of Gastronomy from the Middle Ages to the Present Day", the French capital has a "unique position, both as a point of preservation for the world's gastronomic heritage, and also as a laboratory" for the best schools of cuisine that attract young talents. from all over the world.

"They come to learn the basics of cooking, and then return to their countries to present their own experience," Godry added.

From elaborate menus to intricate cutlery... the exhibition presents testimonies of French expertise dating back more than six centuries.

François Regis Gaudry says, "The banquet of King Charles V in 1378, which was supervised by the great cook Tayvan, shows that the Middle Ages included refined gastronomy, and not only a kitchen rich in spices that were used to mask the taste of rotten meat."

However, the French supremacy in gastronomy is relatively recent, and it depends to a large extent on the image of the French capital cemented in the collective imagination, but also on clever promotion, says Loic Bianasi, a historian at the European Institute for the History of Food Culture in the city. tor french.

Paris began to occupy a special place in the history of cooking since the eighteenth century, as all new cookbooks were published in it, and it witnessed the development of food innovations that were transformed from the most famous foods, such as baguettes and croissants ... in addition to foods whose name suggests that they are from other French regions, including Beef bourguignon and béarnaise sauce.

But what distinguishes Paris from other European capitals?

The historian explains that "in Protestant countries, any promotion of good food would have been met with a whole host of cultural and psychological caveats, which prevented cities like London and Amsterdam from acquiring this status."

However, English cookery "was not an abomination, quite the contrary", as beef dishes were especially prized in Paris for the masculinity associated with it in the nineteenth century.

As the first industrialized country, Britain "very rapidly entered the age of modernity in food" by abandoning local land produce.

In the face of Spain and Italy, "French centralism" benefited from the influence of French cuisine, according to the historian.

But the emergence of the concept of the restaurant, whose modern rules saw the light in Paris (individual tables, menu, bill), "is what established this position, as any foreign visitor can now taste Parisian cuisine."

Restaurants were essential sites in political and cultural life, and until the beginning of the twentieth century they remained associated with “private rooms”, which are beds or couches that are not visible in restaurants for lovers or for people who have relationships with other than their spouses. The Parisian exhibition recreates these rooms, which are also presented through drawings or menus with bold drawings.

Loyec Pianassi points out that "the culinary aura of Paris derives its glow from everything that feeds the public imagination, and the aura of liberation is part of that. This imagination promoted by literature was prevalent" in the nineteenth century.